A Few Good Men
by Aleize Claire
Summary: A night of reckless sex and half a bottle of tequila...Tess is having a hard night;the past should have been left there. Rated for frequent use of the F - bomb.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey. " Tess turned around to see Vincent standing in the door of her office. "I've been looking all over for you. "

"Well, you found me." She said dryly.

"The show was great tonight. "

"You stayed for the whole thing?" Shock found its way into her tone. Vincent hated burlesque and he hated the club. Her club. He only worked so hard to save it because he didn't want to admit that he'd failed at something.

But he didn't save it. Ali did, the waitress from Iowa turned out to be Tess' s saving grace.

He nodded and flashed a smile. "I even paid admission."

"Good for you, I'm glad you approve. Now if you don't mind." She grabbed her bag and an arm load of costumes and moved towards the door. "I'm going home. "

"You should be celebrating, Tess you're back on top, Baby!" He clapped his hands together gleefully. The sound echoed in the small space.

"And you're loaded. You stink like stale booze and I know nobody here served you. I did my celebrating the night I handed over that check."

"With Sean?" He asked harshly.

"Maybe! Why the fuck do you care? We're divorced, I don't have to answer to you. " She threw her hands in the air. Now go downstairs and call a cab. "

"Come on, Tess just have a drink with me. "

"You've had enough for one night, Vincent. " She shoved past him and he caught her arm. His lips covered hers before she could respond. Her mouth melded against his with a mind of its own.

She pulled back for breath, "what the fuck, Vincent!" She shoved him by the shoulders. Her boots gave her a couple extra inches, so she towered over him.

"It's like Fight Club." He said simply.

"What? Get away from me, now before I call the cops. You don't kiss your exe's like that!"

" You wouldn't call the cops if I punched you in the face. You definitely won't call them over a kiss."

He had her there. She could take a punch as easily as a kiss. It wasn't worth tarnishing the club's reputation; but let someone lay a foul hand on one of the girls or Sean and she'd call the Army if she had to.

"You got me. Now get out."

"Everything that happens tonight is like Fight Club."

"Nothing is happening tonight!"

"This is just like when we were married, " he huffed. "You were never any fun. You danced for money in front of hundreds of men in a week but I couldn't make you dance for me."

"Well I'm not a stripper! I don't give lap - dances and you never understood that. "

"I was lucky to get a blow job before you left to come here."

"You poor neglected thing," she said in mocking pity. Her bottom lip pouted slightly, "if I'm so dull then explain to me why you're so Hell bent on sleeping with me now. "

"I don't want a relationship, Tess. "

"That's a good-damn thing." She scoffed, "believe me, I didn't divorce you because I enjoyed your company as stimulating as this conversation is, I'm done. Call a cab and a hooker. " She breezed past him stalling on the top stair.

"What's that line in your opening number? Everyone is buying, put your money in my hand...I forgot the rest. "

"You're starting to piss me off, Vince. " She turned around and he was standing behind her.

"I'll leave you alone if you just sing it for me." He was starting to sober up and she didn't like it.

" Everyone is buying put your money in my hand, if you're got a little extra, give it to the band. Satisfied?

"Not that line. The other one."

"Alright, fine. You're an assshole. The question is, were you born that way?"

"I like to think I was cultivated, now sing the line like a lullaby. Picture Georgia ' s baby as you're singing. "

"You're nuts."She rolled her eyes, "this isn't winning you any points. "

"Just do it and I'll leave you alone."

"Fine."

When she sang, she slowed the tune the lyrics spilled from her lips like a gentle smoke coming from a fireplace on a cold day. "Everyone is buying, put your money in my hand, if you want a little extra, well, you know where I am.

"You're a real piece of shit, Vincent. "

"And while we're on the subject of the obvious, that line makes you sound like a whore. Whose idea was that? "

"I'm fed up with your shit, Vince. I wrote the song! My club doesn't cater to kids, I'm an entertainer and I don't have to be politically correct! Now you said you would leave me alone. "

"Everyone is buying, your ex husband doesn't quite understand, but he's got a little extra and he's just a man," He sang.

She laughed and said, "you can't carry a tune in a bucket. If this is your idea to try and win me over it won't work. "

"You will dream of Vincent, " he continued, butchering her lyrics. "Do it at your risk, it's not the end of time. It's just your body on top of mine. "

"Smooth." She laughed, "if you give me another good one I'll give you what you want. But," she held up one finger. "It has to be in-key."

"You'll really do it?"

"Sure. Across the desk in my office. "

"Bareback?" He arched his eyebrow hopefully.

"Fuck no, I don't know where you've been! Condom. Now sing."

"So I guess the third time, really is the charm. I got Tess to say yes, what really is the harm?"He grinned.

"Cute, but no." She smiled, "keep trying." She teased. "You were way off."

"What does 'in-key' even mean? " He chuckled, " Just shut up and kiss me."

"This doesn't change anything, " she said as his lips crashed on hers again.

"No, it doesn't."

"Hold on a minute." She held up one finger as they stepped into her office. "You want something special?"

"Hell yes." His smokey gaze drank her in.

She opened the door of the closet and closed the door. " Stay there. " She wanted this, she deserved it. She slid down the zipper on her dress. A slinky, glittering, bandaid of a dress; but it wasn't enough tonight. The sound of hollow metal and sliding hangers filled the large closet as she assessed each costume before deciding.

One night of pure fun with a familiar face and she could cross another item off her bucket list.

"Ta Da!" Leaned against the door frame she let Vince have his fill of her; clad in a charcoal colored corset with red lace accents, silken fish-nets and pumps.

"Damn," he hissed, "this is worth waiting for." He caressed her hair, brushing the pin - straight locks away from her breasts. Clothes were shed; and on a covering of ostrich feather fans, surrounded by glittering costumes and fake pearls, together, they reached nirvana.


	2. Chapter 2

"We didn't even make it inside the office." Vincent stretched his arm over his head, fully satiated, glitter shinning on his chest hair; with Tess' s curtain of ink black hair spread over his chest.

"Kinda feels like our honeymoon."

"No it doesn't. You can't tell Sean what we did in here, he'd kill us both if he knew how we violated his props." She said, rolling away from him. The whole room reeked like sex, cheap booze and sweat. She wanted to clean it up and go home.

"I'm sure one of his boy - toys can arrange something as a replacement. " He said with a snort. "Consider yourself lucky that corset is still in one piece.

"Why are you so caught up on Sean? We need the props for the show, he has every right to be upset, but I'll spring for the dry cleaning bill so he'll never know. "

"We said this is like Fight Club, Tess." He stretched and his back popped as he got to his feet. "Do you want a ride home?"

"No, I'm fine here, you should call a cab." She said, picking up his pants from the floor and handing them over.

"Is this your way of saying it's over?" He handed over her bra before pulling his shirt on.

" It's been over, Vincent, a long time before this." The kicker was, she didn't even feel bad. She wasn't ashamed, she wasn't angry. She wasn't anything. Nothing, she felt absolutely nothing for this man that at one point she pledged to spend her life with.

"You're right."He grabbed his coat from the floor. "I'll see you. " And the door closed, the sound of footsteps on the metal staircase abated. She shoved the feather fans in the corner of the closet and doused the room in air fresher.

"Bye." She said to the empty room. She went down to the bar, they had closed the club hours ago. All the girls left after the final number. Tess reached across the bar and poured a shot of tequila; drinking alone wasn't all that bad. Fuck Vincent. Fuck his cheating ass and who gives a fuck if it was years ago. He still cheated on her, he still stumbled in drunk every other day of their marriage.

He couldn't drink at the club and support her, oh no he had to stick his dick in everything that walked while she worked to keep the place going. Part of her knew he enjoyed humiliating her with every thrust inside some bar fly.

Okay, maybe she was a little bit ashamed of herself.

She downed another shot, straight from the bottle. Fuck the glass, too.

Maybe she was a little angry, a little bitter.

Everything he did was payback, she deserved it for running a business instead of her household.

Fuck that, twice.

"Hey, Gorgeous." Like clockwork, Vincent left and Sean entered. "Got enough for two?"

"Always." She slurred, her head rested on the cool stone bar-top.

"Too bad. " He reached for the bottle and screwed the cap back on and replaced it on the other side of the bar. "You're cut off, now what's with the liver abuse?"

"I thought you left."

Without saying goodbye, never. Now tell Sean all about it." He began massaging her shoulders, trying to remove some of the weight they carried.

"I hate my ex husband, Sean I hate him more than anyone in the whole world!"

"Honey, I hate your ex husband, everyone hates him. What happened tonight?"

"I hate him! I hate how much he hurt me, he never wanted me or the club; he only stuck around when it was good for him."

He leaned in close, "he's a selfish prick, Tess and he didn't deserve you." He said in her ear.

"I fucked him!" She confessed, "all over the closet, he kept going on and on about how boring I was when we were married and I just-I don't know- I wanted to prove to him that I'm not."

Sean stopped massaging, "you don't have to prove jack shit to him, Tess."

"I know-but-" She raised up to look at him with glassy eyes.

She didn't deserve this, her tears were too special to be wasted on a piece of shit like Vincent.

"Clearly you don't know, now come on and let me drive you home. I won't let you sit here and puddle over some man whore who gave you a ring. "

"Why are you being so fucking mean, Sean?"

"I'm not. It's not a judgement, it's the truth. Now come on, we're going to sober you up and you can sleep it off."

" Look here, Sean Boy, I may be drunk off my ass, but I know my house is in the other direction. " Tess said from the back seat of Sean's car at least her mood was improving.

"We're going to my house." He lowered the window on her side, the cool summer breeze whipped through the car as he drove down the interstate; "just sit back and relax."

"Just shut up and take me home. "

He parked on the curbside and opened her door, chivalry isn't dead after all. She looked up, lifting her head from her lap. "What's your plan?"

"You're going to eat and sleep and I'll take you home tomorrow. "

"When did you become such a mother hen?" She asked, stepping, more like falling out of the car.

He caught her arm, "when you decided it was a good idea to slam half a bottle of tequila in twenty minutes." He helped her up the steps, she kept a death grip on the railing.

"As fabulous as those shoes are, consider them confiscated until you can see straight." He said and unlocked the door.

"You are way too good to me. " She said and sat down on the sofa, her head lolled to one side against the arm.

"Everyone is entitled to a night of reckless sex, " He called from the kitchen; heating a pan and cracking eggs into a bowl.

"Not me, " she countered and propped her hand under her head to stay upright. " My entire marriage was nothing but a giant mistake."

Sean reappeared with two steaming plates of scrambled eggs and buttered toast. "The good thing is-"

"We didn't have kids."

"I was going to say at least you got to keep the club."

He sat next to her, putting their plates on the coffee table.

"We would have done a number on kids, I'd be paying therapy bills until the day I died."

He pulled her close until her head was leaned against his chest.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and eat your eggs. "

"Stop bitching at me."

"Everything will look brighter in the morning, " he said and began to play with her hair. Screw the eggs, he'd rub her back while she slept, like he always did when shit hit the fan and make breakfast in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

"Will you please stop throwing food at me." Tess moaned, trying to shield her eyes from the sunlight streaming through the living room window. Another plate of eggs sat in front of her, an omelet with broccoli, ham and cheese.

"Sorry. " Sean slid the curtains closed and sat a trash can by her feet. "Do you think you'll be sick?"

"I don't know, Honey, I haven't drank that much in forever."

"Tess, you can do a full show in four inch pumps after twice as much vodka. I've seen you do it."

"That's vodka, " she said flatly, "with a chaser and food; but in all fairness, you did try to feed me."

"True. "

"Thanks for taking care of me last night."

He could have left her to puddle at the bar, she'd wake up on the floor with no clue how she got there.

"Any time." He wanted to tell her not to make a habit of sleeping with her ex in the dressing room of the club, but thought better of it. " Now if you don't eat this, I'll start to think you don't like my cooking."

"That's because it sucks," she joked and speared a small bit on her fork.

"It's better than yours, " he countered and smiled.

"Good point," she was lucky not to burn water; thank God for the pizza place two blocks from her house otherwise she would probably starve. She caught him staring, his inquisitive eyes bore into her cheek. "I'll be alright, Sean," She said softly, "I've done a lot worse things."

"I know. " He brushed it off, like he wasn't concerned about her well being. "I was just making sure you weren't going to puke on my couch. "

She smiled and kicked the wastebasket away. "Don't worry about that either. "

She was so lucky to have him and he knew it.

"I'll take you to get your car when you're ready."

"Thanks, Ali busted out of her costume last night and I have to fix it before we open."

"Are we sure Niki didn't rip it?" He asked dryly.

Tess laughed, "Give her some credit, she's been nicer."

"I should have busted out her window a long time ago. "

He was the only person she told about that and she wasn't about to apologize for it.

" That is so beneath you. "

He snickerd and said, "I know, but it's true. "

-'-

Tess plugged the hot glue gun into the wall, piecing together the glittering chains that, when attached to a leotard, made up the golden costumes for the first number. They were hand made and had to be hand sewn and repaired. Her head was pounding, if she drank tonight she would definitely have a hang over in the morning.

The night before still sparkled in her memory, Vincent wasn't any different than the day she divorced him, but it was fun and safe. She could be herself with him, exactly who she was and he wouldn't hate her.

She could hate his guts and she told him so, frequently; but he still gave a shit. He tried to save the club for her, but he didn't see any other options. Could she hate him for giving up so easily, yes. She could and she did. But reckless sex had nothing to do with business and she could do that without fear of losing anything because you can't lose what's already gone.

Piecing together Ali's costume helped her piece together her life, maybe Fight Club, wasn't such a bad idea. But could she do it without hating herself? Would she need tequila after every time they were together? Probably not, eventually, she would switch to vodka and spare herself the hang over.

She lifted the receiver from its hook on the desk and dialed.

He picked up on the first ring.

"I've come to a decision," she greeted cooly. Confidence and excitement fizzled through her body.

"And what would that be?" he wondered. His curiosity was peaked.

"Fight Club is an excellent idea."

"Tess, I love the way you think. So, I was thinking... You and me. After the show. What do you say? We'll sneak off," he suggested.

"Not back into the closet," she deadpanned.

"I was thinking about the Hilton."

She rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. "Big spender."

"Never. But I'm not cheap, either. Unlike you." He caught himself a moment too late. Shit! His ex wife had called him out of the blue and agreed to casual sex, with him - no less! - and he called her cheap.

"God, Tess," he tried to apologize. "That was wrong. I'm an asshole, I didn't mean it like that."

For a second, he thought she had hung up on him. But then he heard her breathing on the other end.

"Yeah, you did, you prick," she returned evenly. "And for that, you're springing for room service."

"Deal."


	4. Chapter 4

"Going somewhere? " Sean asked, Tess was sitting at her mirror backstage, the curtain had already fallen for the final time that night and all the girls were headed home.

She pulled out her lipstick from her purse and swiped the color across her lips. "Maybe, " she responded vaguely. It wasn't really any of Sean's business, "why?"

"Because you look excited, " he said, gushing. He was almost one of the girls at times, with a feather boa slung across his shoulders, leaving a pink feathery trail in his wake. "By the end of the night you're ready to pack it in and go home, not tonight, huh?"She caught his eyes through the mirror, he looked worried. His eyebrows knitted, bringing attention to his bald head.

"No, not tonight. " She applied another coat of mascara and dipped the wand back in the tube. "I have a date."

"And?" He pressed, "where's he taking you? Somewhere lavish, I hope. "

She laughed, "The Hilton."

"Nice..." he nodded his approval, "penthouse suite? "

"Probably not. "

"Darn. Too bad." He pouted, "The Queen deserves nothing but the best. "

She shook her head in amusement and got up. "You're so full of shit, Sean. Good night!" She waved slightly and headed for the stairs her 4 inch heels clacking down the metal staircase.

"Have fun! " He called, "don't do anything I wouldn't."

"And what would that be? Learn his name?"

"When in doubt, say, Mike. "

He could hear her laughing as she walked down the stairs. God, he loved her and she knew it.

-'-'-

Tess pulled in front of the hotel, with butterflies soaring in her stomach. Why this was different, she couldn't figure out; but it was and she loved it.

The man she was married to would have never taken her to The Hilton, he wouldn't buy meat if he could avoid it. Although, she thought bitterly, he could afford to have multiple affairs. The thoughts entered her mind before she could stop them and unshed anger pierced her gut. Damn him.

She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts of the past. She didn't need it, holding onto it wasn't helping. A tap on the window startled her. "Holy shit!" She jumped and slammed on the horn. "Vince, don't do that!" She pulled the door handle and stepped out of the car allowing the valet to take over.

He was laughing, clutching his ribs. "Did I scare you?"

"No," she said defiantly. Her hand came up over her heart, accentuating the V that dipped down her dress.

"What's in that?" She nodded towards the bag in his hand.

"You'll see," he teased and grinned mischievously.

"If you think you're hand-cuffing me to anything, I'm out of here," she warned.

He shook his head, "it's nothing like that, Tess. I promise, you will love it. He reached inside and held the package out just long enough for her to read the label.

"Thanks!" Something unfamiliar spread through her, he didn't forget.

"I remember, it was your favorite when we were married. "

He took her arm and led her towards the hotel.

"It was. " She smiled brightly, "I guess I forgot that I wasn't the only person in our marriage."

"You weren't the only one who liked good sushi either. " A beat of silence and he said, "I never forgot the good times, Tess. "

"Problem being, " she said and he cut her off with a response of his own. "There weren't very many? " He cracked a smile to let her know he was kidding. His arm settled around her back and she didn't pull away.

"I hate valet parking, " she grumbled.

"Why? Because you can't make a quick getaway? " He asked, holding open the door to the hotel.

She laughed and shook her head, "when did you get so paranoid? "

"About the same time you became fun." He handed over his credit card to the pretty girl across the counter.

"Reservations for Scali, Vincent." She ran the card and he could feel her eyes drilling into his face with a come hither gaze.

"Of course." She flashed him a bold smile. "I have you right here in the deluxe suite. "

He pulled Tess closer in a possessive grasp. He was a taken man tonight and the pretty thing behind the counter wasn't going to ruin that.

"We'll need some champagne and strawberries sent in as soon as possible. "

The other woman nodded and handed over their key cards. "Enjoy your stay in room 406."

Tess couldn't help herself as she hit the button for the elevator. "Good job, Vince," sarcasm rolled off her tongue.

"What? " Confusion colored his tone.

"You restrained yourself." She nodded, he deserved a reward for that.

"What are you talking about?" He asked as they climbed into the elevator.

"Oh please, even I could see her panties melting as soon as you walked in the door," she scoffed.

"Well you should know, you're a professional Panty Melter."

"Awe... such a compliment. Do I make your panties melt, Vince?" She teased.

They stepped into the hall and the elevator doors slid shut behind them

"Every day."

She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. "You're not right in the head, Mr. Scali. "

"I never claimed to be, " he shrugged his shoulders and slid his key card in the door. "But I married you, didn't I?" He caught himself a second too late. "Oh dammit...Tessa...I'm a dick. I didn't realize how bad that came out. "

"Up yours. Do you ever think before you talk or does this stupid shit just fall out of your mouth? "

He swallowed sheepishly, "I really didn't mean it," he said softly.

"I think you're still bitter that I divorced you," she replied smoothly and began toying with the miro-buttons on her dress, the creaminess of her breasts was enhanced by her hands against them.

"Now that I'm back on top, without."

She revealed her black lace bra. "Your help. "

Vincent couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He kicked the door with the heel of his foot and it slammed closed. "You're trying to backtrack. And if you think, " she stepped in close to him and opened the top button of his shirt. "That you're getting any part of my club or my money." She opened his fly and hit her knees. "You're out of your mind."


	5. Chapter 5

The sound of a blaring phone threw Tess into the land of the living. With one arm flung over her face and the other hand underneath Vincent's head. "Good God, make it stop! "

"Alright," Vincent growled and picked up the phone, "who ordered the wakeup call? " he didn't drop the surly tone. "Uh huh. Tess, wake up." He nudged her lightly and covered the receiver with his hand. "Who knows that we're here?"

"Just Sean." She yawned and pulled the blanket tighter around herself, to cover her best assets and settled back in bed.

Of course, he thought to himself; Tess told him everything. Too much, in his opinion. "Yeah I know who it is," he growled. "Send him through. "

"Sleeping Beauty, you have a phone call." He passed her the receiver. She rolled her eyes and crawled closer to the cradle. "Somebody better be dying."

"Tess?" Tears filled the other woman's voice. All earlier tiredness forgotten, Tess sat up straight. "Georgia? What's wrong?"

"I need help." The sounds of a baby crying split through the phone. "Damon's useless, I've been awake for days. " Georgia sobbed, " all Chloe does is cry anymore!"

"Is Sean still there?" Sympathy filled her tone.

"Yeah," she hiccuped.  
"It's alright, let me talk to him. "  
An ear splitting shriek filled Tess' ear. "Sorry to crash your morning," Sean said dryly.

"What the hell is going on there?" Tess asked, aggravated; how could he be so sarcastic at- what time was it? She reached for the alarm clock next to the phone. 7AM?  
"I got a distress call from Damon, Georgia's at the end of her rope with this parenting thing."

"Well who has Chloe?" Tess heard the 3 month old in question scream in answer.

"Me."  
"Good. Take her into the bedroom, eventually she'll cry herself out. Give Georgia a break and let Damon bring you endless bottles of formula and clean diapers like the bump on a log that he is."

She reached across the bed for her bag sidestepping the case to the dirty movie Vince brought and the empty sushi takeout box from her favorite restaurant in L.A.

"I'm on my way."  
"What was that about?" Vincent asked.  
She hung up the phone and pulled on her panties. "I have to go. Sorry Vince, maybe next time we won't have to-err-try so hard. "

"Look, it's not my fault." He said indignation filled his tone, "I'll get a prescription. "

"We got old, no hard feelings. " She plucked her dress off the floor and slid into it and stuffed her feet back into their pumps. "Zip me up?" She bared her back to him and he slid the zipper in place, laying a kiss on the side of her neck. "Where are you rushing off to?" He rubbed his beard against the tender skin.

"Damon called Sean, Georgia's having a hard time with the baby. "

"So why did they call you?"  
She pulled away from him, frustration rolled off of her. "Who did you call when you were young and in trouble?"

"My parents. "  
She gave him a look as if to say, 'yeah, stupid.' Frustration filled her tone, " and I'm pretty much all that girl's got in that department. " Georgia was 18 and chasing Hollywood stardom when her parents kicked her to the curb. She came to the club and hadn't left.

"Why you?"  
"Why not me?" She fired back, "I've played nursemaid, shrink and mother to every one of those girls."  
"That's rich," he laughed dryly, "you don't have a maternal bone in your body. "

Hurt crossed her features, what a nice thing to say to someone who you wanted to start a family with once upon a time. "You really know how to make a girl feel good."

God, what was wrong with him? He just couldn't keep his mouth shut. He had to do something to salvage the situation.

He reached toward her tenderly brushing her arm with his fingertips and she pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Tess but you know it's true."

"You don't think I know that! I don't need you to tell me that but who else does she have?"

"Whatever." He shrugged, "I'll book this place for another night if you want to come back."

"No." She shook her head, her black hair swished around her face. "Go see your doctor and I'll think about it; but I won't let you talk to me with such disrespect; Vince you've been a complete asshole since yesterday; with your backwards compliments. I'm going to take care of this and as for you and me, I'll think about it. " 


End file.
